Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 20
Chapter 376 — ब्रह्मज्ञानम्
Knowledge of Brahman
अहं साक्षी च चिन्मात्रो जाग्रत्स्वप्नादिकस्य च नाज्ञानञ्चैव तत्कार्यं संसारादिकबन्धनं
ahaṃ sākṣī ca cinmātro jāgratsvapnādikasya ca nājñānañcaiva tatkāryaṃ saṃsārādikabandhanaṃ
ਮੈਂ ਸਾਕਸ਼ੀ ਆਤਮਾ ਹਾਂ—ਕੇਵਲ ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਚੇਤਨ੍ਯ—ਜਾਗ੍ਰਤ, ਸੁਪਨੇ ਆਦਿ ਅਵਸਥਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ। ਅਗਿਆਨ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਜ, ਅਰਥਾਤ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਆਦਿ ਬੰਧਨ, ਮੇਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ।
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vashistha in moksha-vidya passages)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Moksha-vidya","practical_application":"Self-inquiry (ātma-vicāra) and witness-consciousness practice to disidentify from waking/dream states and negate ignorance-based bondage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sākṣī-caitanya: the Witness beyond waking and dream","lookup_keywords":["Sākṣī","Chinmātra","Jāgrat","Svapna","Avidyā"],"quick_summary":"Affirms the Self as pure witnessing consciousness of all states; ignorance and saṃsāra-bondage are superimpositions, not attributes of the Self."}
Concept: Ātman as sākṣī (witness) and cinmātra (pure consciousness), untouched by avidyā and its kārya (saṃsāra-bandha).
Application: During experience, note 'seen' (thoughts, sensations, dream images) versus 'seer' (awareness); rest as the seer to weaken identification and fear.
Khanda Section: Moksha-vidya (Advaita Vedanta / Atma-jnana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene figure symbolizing the witness stands behind three layered scenes—waking city, dream imagery, and subtle darkness—unaffected by chains labeled saṃsāra.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central luminous witness-figure with calm eyes, three horizontal registers: waking marketplace, dream surreal lotus-elephant forms, deep indigo sleep field; broken chain motif at the base.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, witness-Atman as radiant silhouette with gold halo, three medallions showing jāgrat and svapna scenes, gold-embossed broken fetters labeled saṃsāra, rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic composition: central sāksī figure, side panels labeled jāgrat/svapna, faint overlay of 'avidyā' cloud dissolving, soft colors and fine outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, philosopher in contemplation in a study; behind him, framed vignettes of waking court life and dreamlike fantastical scene; a discarded chain on the floor, delicate border work."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चिन्मात्रो = चिन्मात्रः; जाग्रत्स्वप्नादिकस्य = जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-आदिकस्य; नाज्ञानञ्चैव = न + अज्ञानम् + च + एव; तत्कार्यं = तत् + कार्यम्; संसारादिकबन्धनं = संसार-आदि-बन्धनम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Moksha-dharma/Atma-jnana teachings contiguous with 376.21-23
FAQs
It imparts moksha-vidya (Advaita self-knowledge): the practitioner is to recognize the Atman as the sakshi (witness) and cinmātra (pure consciousness), distinct from the changing states of experience; this discrimination is used for liberation-oriented contemplation (nididhyāsana).
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves systematic liberation-teachings: this verse represents its Vedantic psychology (waking/dream etc.) and metaphysics (witness-consciousness vs. ignorance), showing the text’s wide scope as a compendium of practical and spiritual sciences.
By owning one’s identity as the witness-consciousness, the sense of doership and bondage weakens; ignorance and its karmic chain (saṃsāra) are understood as not intrinsic to the Self, supporting detachment, inner freedom, and progress toward moksha.